


The Deepest, Brightest Blue

by ForensicSpider98



Series: Love After the Fact [54]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, All this stress is bad for the baby, Altean Adam (Voltron), Altean Prince Lance (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Aromantic Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Balmeran Hunk (Voltron), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Galra Shiro (Voltron), Galran Prince Keith (Voltron), Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, M/M, Moral Ambiguity, Moral Dilemmas, Multi, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Olkari Pidge | Katie Holt, Post-War, it's keith. keith is the baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:33:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24916177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForensicSpider98/pseuds/ForensicSpider98
Summary: Keith asks a probing question.
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Alfor/Coran (Voltron), Allura/Lotor/Romelle (Voltron), Haggar/Zarkon (Voltron), Hunk & Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: Love After the Fact [54]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1635043
Comments: 50
Kudos: 192





	The Deepest, Brightest Blue

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to everyone who voted! If you didn't vote for an episode about Lance's scales, don't worry! I'm going to do them all; you just have to wait a little longer. <3<3<3

Dragging Lance away from his datapad proves challenging, but after spending a whole quintant doing nothing but sleeping, eating, and curling up in a ball of pain, Keith’s had enough. Whatever his spouse is so focused on can wait.

The walk to the springs is a quiet one, their first full quintant on Daibazaal to be spent away from the people. Keith can tell that Lance is on edge, and wants this to be a good experience for them both. If everything goes well, they’ll be more likely to return, and returning won’t put as much strain on their relationship.

Toward that end, he slips his hand into Lance’s, mirrors Lance’s resulting smile. The Altean bumps their heads together, a new sign of affection to add to their repertoire. Keith still hates how reserved Alteans are in public. They’ll talk openly about their sexual prowess, but do little more than hold their partner’s hand. Lance says his people see it as undignified. Keith says physical affection is more valuable than words or gifts.

They've taken to treasuring their moments alone.

At any rate, it’s good to take some time for themselves, so Keith shows him the springs, a place where clean, clear water bubbles up to the surface in cheerful burbles and flows down the lower slopes of the mountain.

“Oh, Ancients! There’s so much!” Lance dips a bare toe into the water, eyes and grin wide like the river. He squeals. “It’s cold!”

“It comes from underground. There’s a lot of water on Daibazaal. Be careful if you’re going in. There’s a lot of pull the closer you get to the middle.”

“Sure, whatever you say!” And Lance is gone, chasing small fish and mammals at the edge, wading into the water, swimming down to see the springs. Keith is content to watch from the shoreline, snacking on some cured meats. When he’s done with that, he finds a patch of sun to lie in, passively observing his spouse playing in the water. He hopes it rains while they’re here. He wants to see the look on Lance’s face when it does.

After a little while, Lance seems to get lonely, wading back through the water to settle on a sunny rock next to Keith. The Altean definitely needed this break. He looks looser already and it’s still morning. Keith shifts to rest his head within ear-rubbing distance. Lance is happy to oblige, eliciting an easy purr from his throat.

“Lance?” Keith’s eyelids flutter at Lance’s hum. He loves that sound, the way Lance shows Keith’s been heard without shattering the peace. The Galra eyes the blue scales glittering beneath his soaked linen shirt. “What are your scales for?”

“On the surface level, our scales are a form of communication. Their appearance shifts depending on our mood. They’re also an indication of our quintessence base and any other forms we might possess an affinity for.” Lance’s hand runs through Keith’s hair, unbraiding it so it flutters in the breeze. Keith nuzzles against his hip, lets his future mate do as he likes.

“But there’s more to it than that. Our bodies do not function as yours do. Our scales are tied directly to our lifeforce. Every Altean has scales on the cheeks, and typically some others. The more scales we have, the more alchemical potential, and also, the more vulnerability.”

“Vulnerability?”

“If too many scales get damaged, especially scales central to our ability and lifeforce, then our bodies may not be able to produce quintessence or channel it correctly, and we die. According to one story, that’s how the first war between us started: A Galra found an Altean, and they got into a quarrel. The Altean, fearing for her life and safety, slew the Galra. Later, the Galra’s littermate found her, and ripped the scales from her face one by one, and she died. Outraged at the cruelty of her slow and painful death, the Alteans took up arms, slaughtering the entire village. Supposedly, the Altean was one of my royal ancestors’ lovers or blood relatives. It varies depending on which version you get.”

“I’ve never heard that story.”

“It’s probably made up. Like most of our stories.”

“Ah.” Keith shifts, resting his head properly in Lance’s lap. “We have our own story, though. An Altean was caught robbing the Sil’val’nyme Sepulcher.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s the tomb of our first empress, Trija. She brought peace and unity to the many tribes of Daibazaal, and under her reign, the people prospered and were never hungry. It's said that her tomb houses unimaginable treasures unlike anything else in the universe. Whether that’s true or not, the Sil’val’nyme Sepulcher is the most beautiful and sacred place on Daibazaal.”

“I assume the Galra took offense to an Altean trying to rob it?”

“Yes. Yes, they did.” Keith rolls onto his back to look up at his spouse, tail flicking back and forth in curiosity. “Lance?”

“Yes, beloved?”

“Can I- Can I touch your scales?” Keith asks, getting the feeling he might be slightly out of line. “I- I know I’ve touched them before, but can I, like-”

“Explore? Of course.” Lance closes his eyes.

Keith reaches up, brushing his fingertips against the royal blue scales on Lance’s cheek. His eyes widen. “They’re so soft! I thought they’d feel like the shreika, only smaller...”

They’re like flower petals, almost frighteningly thin, delicate- they feel like they could crumble under his touch. These tiny, fragile scales are all that separates Lance from death?

Lance chuckles. “Yeah, they are pretty soft. More like a fluttermural.”

“It hurts if I go the other way, doesn’t it? I was there when Pidge did it one time.”

“Yes, please don’t do that. It does hurt. These scales are quite delicate.”

“Right.” Keith gently brushes the scales with his fingertips, admiring how, with slight pressure, he can get the red iridescence to come more or less into prominence. Lance leans into the touch, and Keith suspects that this is somehow far more intimate than the simple brush of a thumb.

“You once said you have a lot of alchemical power. Does that mean you have a lot of scales?” Keith brushes over the soft scales again. His. This life was his, to care for and protect. He couldn’t believe how easily, how _willingly_ Lance was letting him do this. That trust made his heart swell.

“I do…”

“Can I see?”

“You can see some of them. Others will have to wait.” Lance peels off his wet shirt, letting it drop beside them. He stands, Keith rising with him, eyes roving over lean muscle and sun-kissed skin. Lance glitters in the sun. “We’re alone here, so it’s probably safe, but I don’t want somebody walking by and getting the wrong idea.”

Lance has blue scales curling over his ribs and disappearing beneath his pants in liquid patterns, glittering red, flowing, shifting, stretching as he breathes. They crash against his chest and splash over his shoulders like ocean spray. It’s beautiful to watch, like he’s in motion even as he’s standing still. Like fire and water.

He notices Lance’ belly button. It’s bare skin, surrounded by scales. The Altean shifts, awkward. “That’s, uh-”

“I know what it is.” It’s a piercing, gold, with a diamond on top and five fine, gold chains dangling from the bottom, each ending in a sapphire. “It’s pretty.”

“I felt it looked odd, a naked belly button surrounded by scales. It made me self-conscious, hence the piercing. Of course, if you don’t like it-”

Keith’s hands find Lance’s waist, settling over the ever-so-slight curve of his hips. “I like it. I’m glad you found something to make you feel better about yourself.”

Lance smiles, kisses him. “The sapphires are for my family: my mother, my fathers, my sister, and me.”

“That’s so sweet. Can I be the diamond?”

“Sure,” Lance chuckles. “You can be the diamond.”

Keith grins, moving to see Lance’s back, fingers trailing as he goes. Claws ever so slightly extended, he lets them catch lightly on the scales, listens to the sounds they make. The Altean stays very still, letting Keith do as he likes. 

The ocean spray splashes against his shoulders and rolls down his back in shimmering, sunlit blue. He’s nearly covered. “Can I-”

“Of course you can. These scales are yours as well as mine.” Keith’s ears twitch, curious at that sentiment, wondering if that’s some Altean philosophy or if it’s meaningful just to Lance. He doesn’t believe for an instant it’s some meaningless line, but he’s afraid to ask just yet. 

Instead, he gently runs the bare pads of his fingers over the smooth scales. He pushes aside Lance’s white hair to see the way the scales splash against the back of his neck. “You can go the other way with these. They’re bigger, so it won’t hurt.”

Keith immediately does, feeling the slight resistance as his fingertips catch on the edges of the scales. Curiosity mostly satisfied, Keith rests his cheek on Lance’s shoulder, feeling the coolness of the scales even through his fur.

“They’re so beautiful. Do a lot of Alteans have this many?”

“No. Most don’t actually. I have more on my legs.” Keith runs a hand down one of Lance's arms, traces the scales dripping down to his hands, slips back up to wrap his own arms around Lance’s middle. Lance’s hands rest over his, a tender embrace. “Coran has hardly any, but he's happy with that. Says he prefers things he can see, but likes being able to pry his nose into Alfor's business.”

“Did you inherit this talent from Alfor?” Keith presses a kiss to a patch of scales, learning the feel of them in every way he can.

“Presumably, yes, but some just have it.”

Keith drops his hands, takes a step back. Now that his curiosity is satisfied, he’s aware of the physical intimacy. He knows what he’s doing, knows he feels safe here in a way he might not have a movement ago. Still, a passerby might think otherwise, might move to protect him from his own spouse. He won’t put Lance in any more danger than he’s already in.

Lance doesn’t let it stand, turns, laces their fingers together. “Come swimming with me?”

Keith presses a grinning kiss to Lance’s lips. “Sure. Let’s go swimming.”

After another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Next time on Love After the Fact: The Alteans witness a new phenomenon.


End file.
